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Cerberus Tank Build

6 3 76,279
7
by Ishida updated January 10, 2018

Smite God: Cerberus

Build Guide Discussion 6 More Guides
Choose a Build: Cerberus Support ( CDR & Protection )
Cerberus Support ( CDR & Protection ) Pure Health & Protection
Tap Mouse over an item or ability icon for detailed info

Cerberus Build

Starter #1

Build Item Shoes Shoes
Build Item Watcher's Gift Watcher's Gift
Build Item Healing Potion Healing Potion
3
Build Item Mana Potion Mana Potion
3

First

Build Item Shoes of Focus Shoes of Focus

Second and Third

Build Item Genji's Guard Genji's Guard
Build Item Mystical Mail Mystical Mail

Fourth and Fifth

Build Item Spirit Robe Spirit Robe
Build Item Hide of the Nemean Lion Hide of the Nemean Lion

Last

Build Item Stone of Gaia Stone of Gaia
Build Item Bulwark of Hope Bulwark of Hope

Full Build ( Replace Nemean if no Basic attacker )

Build Item Shoes of Focus Shoes of Focus
Build Item Genji's Guard Genji's Guard
Build Item Mystical Mail Mystical Mail
Build Item Spirit Robe Spirit Robe
Build Item Hide of the Nemean Lion Hide of the Nemean Lion
Build Item Bulwark of Hope Bulwark of Hope

Optionals

Build Item Rod of Asclepius Rod of Asclepius
Build Item Void Stone Void Stone
Build Item Relic Dagger Relic Dagger
Build Item Midgardian Mail Midgardian Mail
Build Item Gem of Isolation Gem of Isolation

Cerberus's Skill Order

Paralyzing Spit

1 X Y
Paralyzing Spit
1 4 6 7 10

Ghastly Breath

2 A B
Ghastly Breath
2 15 16 18 19

Soul Expulsion

3 B A
Soul Expulsion
3 8 11 12 14

Stygian Torment

4 Y X
Stygian Torment
5 9 13 17 20
Paralyzing Spit
1 4 6 7 10

Paralyzing Spit

1 X
Cerberus's snake tail spits venom that passes through and damages Enemies. If Cerberus's dog heads are Alert, they then also spit venom when the ability is fired. Each head is alerted upon hitting an Enemy with a Basic Attack, and all are alerted after Ghastly Breath. Each projectile that hits the same target deals 20% less damage, but hitting an Enemy with all 4 Stuns them.

Ability Type: Area, Stun, Damage
Damage: 50 / 80 / 110 / 140 / 170 (+20 of your Magical Power)
Stun Duration: 1.4 / 1.5 / 1.6 / 1.7 / 1.8s
Range: 55
Cost: 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80
Cooldown: 13 / 12.5 / 12 / 11.5 / 11s
Ghastly Breath
2 15 16 18 19

Ghastly Breath

2 A
Each of Cerberus's 3 heads releases a cone of noxious breath in front of them, damaging all enemies in range 7 times over 2.4s and reducing their Magical Protection up to three times. Enemies in the center of his breath are also Slowed up to three times. This attack immediately puts all three of Cerberus's heads on Alert for Paralyzing Spit.

Ability Type: Cone, Debuff, Damage
Damage Per Tick: 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 (+12.5% of your Magical Power)
Slow Per Tick: 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12%
Protection Reduction: 5 / 8 / 11 / 14 / 17
Slow Duration: 2s
Max Stacks: 3
Range: 35
Cost: 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80
Cooldown: 14s
Soul Expulsion
3 8 11 12 14

Soul Expulsion

3 B
Cerberus leaps a short distance forward, dealing damage on impact and severing the souls of Enemies. These souls will not block Cerberus's attacks, and killing the souls heals Cerberus. Killing a God’s soul grants 2s reduced Cooldown on Soul Expulsion.

Ability Type: Leap
Damage: 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 / 240 (+60% of your Magical Power)
Soul Health: 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 / 150
Heal Per Minion: 12 / 19 / 26 / 33 / 40
Heal Per God: 20 / 40 / 60 / 80 / 100
Radius: 15
Cost: 55
Cooldown: 14s
Stygian Torment
5 9 13 17 20

Stygian Torment

4 Y
Cerberus's haunting wail summons below him the souls of the damned, which then lift all Enemy Gods into the air while stretching the link between their bodies and souls, Damaging them. This knockup can be cleansed. A short time later, Cerberus uses this link to pull the Enemies to him. This attack immediately puts all three of Cerberus's heads on Alert for Paralyzing Spit.

Ability Type: Circle, Crowd Control, Damage
Damage: 180 / 255 / 330 / 405 / 480 (+55% of your Magical Power)
Radius: 30
Cost: 90 / 95 / 100 / 105 / 110
Cooldown: 90s

General Stuff

Just a word, I personally skip starter items in Joust but it's there if you wanna use it. I usually just skip to the focus boots.

the build could surely be better, but this is what I've found working pretty well for me. Just keep in mind this is the day he's come out that I started making this build and i've faired pretty well. I haven't lost a game yet using it, but that's because I also have good mages/ADCs alongside it to fully utilize.

I've played mostly Joust with him and it's been very effective. You could replace some protection, but that depends purely on whether or not the team is magic-focused or physical focused, but against mixed teams, I've found this to be putting out alright damage and keeping a very tank-like feel to Cerberus.

His fire has damage potential to it, but the healing and damage of his leap alongside the stun and damage of his spit is better hence why I aim for those two first alongside his ult. It's a more tanky build rather than going for damage and while he has some damage potential, I feel being able to stay in the fight while still being able to drop Squishies down to near-death is pretty good.

Keep in mind, this is the build I use, the one i've found to work, doesn't mean you have to like or use it. Simply an advice build for those looking for a tanky-build for joust.

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2
Branmuffin17 (394) | January 9, 2018 4:06pm
Hey Ishida,

Hope you don't mind me providing some comments.
  • I like the idea of getting Watcher's Gift, as long as your teammates have decent wave clear. This allows you to save your Ghastly Breath / Paralyzing Spit combo for your main control and damage. To help with that wave a bit in the early game, you can always use Soul Expulsion for a bit of extra damage (making sure not to kill them), and soak up the healing from the souls afterward for even more sustain. Of course, you'll have less initiation capability when using your leap for the minions, but the reach and width of Ghastly Breath should make up for that. I know you state you normally don't get starters, but I do think this could work. I also think Sands of Time would work, as his CDs are long.

  • Before going into next items, I find it strange that you choose to max Soul Expulsion before Ghastly Breath. I'm guessing you're doing it for the heals, but unless you get only a couple hits in before enemies escape, you get so much more utility (and damage) out of Ghastly Breath. I can see this leveling order if you're facing a specific enemy that immediately interrupts your channeling of Breath every time you use it, but otherwise, the higher damage, the slightly increasing slow, and the protection reduction all seem like they would be a higher priority.

  • Other than Shoes of Focus, you don't see a core need for CDR? His control is all about having that CDR due to long CD on his abilities. I know you have some of those options in your optional items list, but I'd personally replace most of your standard build list with items in the optional list, as I think those are better. I know you said this is working for you, but I honestly think you'd get better effect out of different items than most of what you've chosen.

  • Specifically, I think Void Stone is basically a core item, ESPECIALLY if you have a mage on your team (2 magical, 1 physical). I might bypass it if I'm the only magical god, but it's a solid item either way.

  • I think Bulwark of Hope is too selfish of an item...no CDR to use abilities to help teammates more, no offensive or defensive aura...and it's a bit expensive in that 2nd spot for what it brings.

  • Mystical Mail has its place, but don't think it's needed much here. It's very nice for the health, but remember that it's not only expensive, but that aura of 40 magical damage isn't actually 40 unless you're dealing true damage. It's subject, just like most other damage types, to mitigation from protections. Normal use for Mystical is for wave clear, not god damage, to help a Solo laner clear the wave or jungle camps more quickly, or in the case of someone like Guan Yu, to help build his passive stacks.

  • It's good that you say to replace Hide of the Nemean Lion if no hunter, but it might also be effective against another basic attacker, especially if they build crit. That said, it's not that effective until attack speed and damage have been built up, which means later in the game when abilities are higher level and more items are bought. I usually consider this to be a late-game item, not item 4.

  • Rod of Asclepius may have its place, especially if you're facing a strong enemy healer like Hel...that said, if you aren't, the added heal that you'd get from your own healing from Soul Expulsion just isn't worth it. This is absolutely an optional item, not a core/standard one...and it has no teamfight function, it's yet another selfish item, because he's not healing his teammates with this.

  • Stone of Gaia's health and regen are really nice, but it's yet another selfish item. Sure, I guess you can say that you being alive is the best thing you can do for your teammates, but in all seriousness, it's really not an item he should need in most situations.

  • FYI, you list Shifter's Shield in the optionals...but it's physical god only...does not belong in this list.

  • You DO recognize the effectiveness of Blink Rune, I'm glad you've listed it.

So, TL;DR, I can see function out of your build, but just don't feel it's nearly optimized enough for standard use. You don't get nearly enough CDR, nor do you get items that will help your teammates much, and your first 2 protection items are a pretty expensive combo. The one thing you have a buttload of is health...1,150 added health, not including the Bulwark shield.

In most cases, I think a higher focus on CDR, with some late game situational options, would be best...normal tanky bruiser.

Sands of Time (preferred optional) or Watcher's Gift (optional), Shoes of Focus, Stone of Binding (optional, bridge item, replace late), Breastplate of Valor + Void Stone (get whichever protection is higher priority first), Spirit Robe (sell Sands if you got it), then 2 situational:
  • Gem of Isolation (extra slows which are applied on every ability for a high level of control)
  • Spear of the Magus (situationally if 1) you have a mage and Breath is not getting interrupted, 2) your mage doesn't plan on getting it, and 3) the enemy team is tanky and building lots of magical protection, because between Breath and Void Stone, you'll apply true damage on most squishy gods)
  • Hide of the Nemean Lion (against basic attackers, especially crit builds)
  • Midgardian Mail (optional against Qin's Sais and magical basic attackers)
  • Relic Dagger (specifically for Blink use in combo with your high CDR to beat out opponent Beads)
1
Ishida | January 9, 2018 6:06pm
Yeah, the shifter's shield was a misclick ain't realize it was there. Like I said, it's what's personally been working for me and my squad. We typically run Sol and some form of ADC with it, typically Rama or Hachiman. With the build, my main goal is to able to get in, do my combo, and stay around. Typically, after i've done my abilities including my ult alongside Rama and Sol, there's not much left. This is a joust build of course and I haven't and probably wouldn't aim to take it into Conquest, i'm working on something for that as it is.

I can see your suggestions, though with how it is for me personally, I've been running fine and I do thank you for all the help and suggestions. I'm definitely gonna look into working Relic Dagger into my build as I think it'll help, and I see why you say CDR is important cause yeah, in my time playing him the CDs have been hard but I wouldn't say it's been problematic. There have been times where i'm like, "Damn I could have used an extra couple seconds off", but it's not very common. I still output decent damage against squishies and alongside the damage of Sol and a ADC, it's been no issue.

As for the Rod, i've actually never used it on him. I put it there because it seems a lot of people have been running it but his heals aren't strong enough, my history well enough shows I run hide of namean instead of it, but I took it out simply because if there is no ADC or physical attacker, it's not gonna be needed.

I will agree, it's a selfish build but that was sorta the objective in it during our makeup. It's helpful as if I can manage to push up first, typically with Blink, and try and absorb what I can as i'm targeted a lot for that. I've noticed a large lack of Purification Beads on teams for some reason and it's made our ulting combo deadly.


And to just try and wrap this up quickly, I level my 3 over my 2 simply for the additional healing and damage. The slow and protection reduction is nice, but in Joust i've noticed typically the protection reduction isn't usually needed for 2/3 gods, that being a usual mage and ADC, and the slow is still there. It's serves well and i'm on a 8/1, with the build and the proper team comp, 8/3 overall with the build. It's a persona lthing i've found working rather wll for me to be tanky upfront, although it is selfish, it keeps me in the fight for a while, lets me push without taking too much initial damage, getting off my combo and heal, and stay in even longer for a chase and continuing the fight. The main goal of the build as I said is to be tanky rather than damage, that's the only real goal.

I really do thank you for everything you said, i'm definitely gonna look to adding Relic Dagger, I already use Hide of the Nemean Lion. To also add in, while it's nothing important, I do typically find myself out-boxing and outlasting other Cerberus's in jopust, specifically, i've yet to lose a match against one. I see a lot go for damage, but the damage from what I see that's base off of Cerberus is fine to fight with as long as you have the proper backup.


TL;DR I really appreciat the tips, I already use Hide of Nemean and simply put the rod since I see a lot of other use it, I will probably work in Relic Dagger, but with the squad I run and my history, I haven't had any issues against most comps and have yet to lose to another Cerberus. The goal was to build health and protection, so it was meant to be selfish. I like the idea of CDR, but I don't feel the need, CDs are high, but i've managed with it alongside my friends. I'm also fairly new to the game in general compared to some, only level 47.


Edit: I'm dumb as a brick, I use void Stone instead of the rod, thought I had left off the Hide of Nemean but was wrong, that's my bad. Either wya, i've never used the rod in my life.
2
Branmuffin17 (394) | January 10, 2018 1:11am
You know what's funny?

this

Anyway, back to your response. I hear ya, you've got a set Joust team, and so your specific strategy might be pretty well honed. I would be curious to have you try getting some significant CDR (at least 30%), and see how it feels for a few games.

I had the same experience as you mention in my one Arena match I've played so far...definite focus when I'd initiate with Blink or Souls. I can see where your super high health can help with that (but still think some alternate items would be better in Joust since there are less enemies overall). Enough CDR, and even though he has 4 abilities to Artio's 6, his abilities feel like they're up very often. It's nice if a fight is a bit longer.

Thanks for the response!
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League of Legends Build Guide Author Ishida
Cerberus Tank Build
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